According to reports, the tourist became enraged, stripping off his shirt before striking the driver in the face despite repeated apologies.

10:08, Fri, Jan 2, 2026 Updated: 10:25, Fri, Jan 2, 2026

Thailand: British tourist arrested for allegedly assaulting driver

A British holidaymaker was taken into custody after allegedly assaulting a taxi driver who told him he could not accept a credit card as payment. Joseph Stephen Sweeney, 35, from Nottingham, had booked a lift back to his hotel using the ride-hailing app Bolt after a night out in the Thai party resort of Pattaya, in the east of the country.

The incident is said to have unfolded in the early hours of December 31 when the driver, Phumin Phrommanok, 26, arrived to pick him up and explained that card payments were not possible. According to reports, the tourist became enraged, stripping off his shirt before striking the driver in the face despite repeated apologies, leaving the young local bleeding on the pavement.

British tourist, 35, arrested for 'attacking Bolt rider who could not accept credit card payment'

A British tourist was arrested for allegedly attacking a taxi driver (Image: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress)

Mr Sweeney then sprinted through the packed Walking Street area but was chased down and restrained by members of the public who had witnessed the alleged attack.

Video footage shows police escorting the muscular Brit through the neon-lit nightlife strip, lined with flashing billboards and crowds of revellers. He was later loaded into the back of a police truck in handcuffs and taken to a local station for questioning.

Police Lieutenant Arnan Mahakitausawakul said: "The British man said he did not start the fight and claims he was pushed first. We will review CCTV footage to determine the cause of the incident fairly for all parties involved, in order to proceed with legal action."

During an initial interview, Mr Sweeney told officers: "He pushed me over." He then pointed out scrapes on his knees, which he said were caused when he fell.

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British tourist, 35, arrested for 'attacking Bolt rider who could not accept credit card payment'

Phumin Phrommanok said he sustained a cut as a result of the incident (Image: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress)

He told police: "I didn’t punch him, no."

Phumin, said he had been using Bolt — a competitor to Uber in London and Grab across Southeast Asia — to collect the Brit.

Phumin said: "He told me he wouldn’t go and ordered me to call a new taxi. Then he started yelling at me, asking why I wasn’t going and asking if I could call a new taxi. I told him I couldn’t accept his card and apologised. I kept apologising and saying ‘sorry, sorry’, and then after he punched me, he ran away.

"I called my friends and they chased after him and helped catch him. I want to raise this with the relevant agencies dealing with foreigners who commit assaults like this, because in my case, I wasn’t at fault. I was just punched for no reason. Then he ran and punched me again, and we chased after him and managed to restrain him. He didn’t fight back."

Phumin was treated in hospital, where he received five stitches to cuts on his chin and lip.

While ride-hailing apps accept card and digital payments, users must have a bank account registered in advance. Cash remains an alternative option.

Pattaya has become one of Thailand’s flagship tourist destinations, driven by its bars, massage parlours and cheap sex. It has earned the nickname "the sex capital of the world," attracting Western men seeking experiences not readily available back home.

However, the city is increasingly viewed as damaging Thailand’s broader reputation as a family-friendly holiday destination known for its beaches, cuisine and rich cultural history.